Gas water heater



Feb. 18, 1930. v, MAUCK 1,747,982

GAS WATER HEATER Filed Feb. 1, 1925 2 sheets-Sh t, 1

- I C70/ MAL/CK Feb. 18, 1930. v. MAUCK GAS WATER HEATER Filed Feb. 1,1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. I.

Vil1illlilllllllllillfli Patented Feb. 18, 1930 PATENT OFFICE FACTURINGCOMPANY, PENNSYLVANIA 015 CONSHOHOGKEN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFGAS WATER HEATER I Application filed February 1, 1923. SerialNo.616,242.

invention relates to gas water heaters ofthe type known to the trade asautomatic combination range boilers and includinga cylindrical casingforthe gas burner, which the water heated by the burner.

I However, as hereinafter described, my inventlon relates moreparticularly to the construction and arrangement of said casing, whichis termed the boiler shell, and the flue and water pipes therein.

Letters Patent of the United States 1,416,487 were grantedto me May 16,1922, for a gas water heater of the general type aforesaid, but havingthe flue for the prod- I nets of combustion from the burner extendmg incoaxial relation with the water tank through the latter, and having ahot water pipe extendingthrough said flue, to the top of the tank,fromthe water spreader which is interposed betweenthe bottom of the tankand the'top of said burner. Although that construction and arrangementoperates very efficiently, it is not only costly to manufac- V ture, butwas found to'be liable to the development of leaks when subjected to thestresses of t-ransportation from my factory in Pennsylvania to mydistributing agency in California. Such leaks are most apt to develop atthe junction between the bottom of the partition above the burner andthe water spreader'which is suspended from said partition between thelatter and the burnerand are "caused by vibration of the pipe leadingfrom said spreader upwardly into the Water space, as indicated at 39 insaid Letters Patent. Therefore, the purpose and effect of the presentinvention is to make a simpler construction and arrangement which is notonly less costly to manufacture, but less liable to be damaged by thestresses of transportation, and particularly to directly rigidly connectsaid water 'spreader with said partition in the casing, which forms thebottom of said water tank.

As hereinafter described, my invention includes a water tank in whichthe flue for the productsof combustion from the burner extendsthroughthe water tank in eccentric relation to the axis of the latl er, and thehot water pipe, leading from the spreader aforesaid, is rigidlyconnected with the water tank at the bottom thereof and extends throughthe water in the tank nearly to the top of the latter. Y-Iowever, in theconstruction shown in said Letters Patent, said hot water pipe from thespreader is heated by the products of combustion passing upward throughthe flue, whereas, in the present construction, said hot water pipe isremote from the flue and surrounded by the water in the tank. Therefore,although in the present construction the heatfrom said flue is absorbedby the water in the tank, the initial appearance of hot Water at the topof the tank, from which it is withdrawn to the dispensing faucets, wouldbe delayed if means were not provided to prevent loss of heat from saidhot water pipe, in its extent upward through the initially cold water inthe tank. Therefore, an essential feature of my present invention ismeans to limit the conduction of heat from the central hot water pipe tothe water surrounding it inth-e tank; so as to immediately deliver hotwater from the spreader to the top of the water tank.

My inventionv includes the various novel features of construction andarrangement hereinafter more definitely specified. However, certainspecific features of the form of container herein disclosed are claimedim my copending application Serial No. 512,7 63 filed November 4, 1921,for Letters Patent of the United States.

I In said drawings: Fig. I is a diagrammatic perspective view of anautomatic combination range'boiler and gas Water heater embodying myinvention.

Fig. II is a plan view of the boiler shell indicated in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a partial vertical central sectional viewof the structureshown in Fig. I, taken on the line III, III in Fig. II.

spreader, taken on the line VI, VI in Fig. III.

In said figures; the cylindrical tubular casing shell 1 has the door 2in its circumference,

affording access to the burner 3 which is mounted within the burnercompartment 5 1n Said burner compartment is said shell. formed by theskirt portion 7 of said shell extending below the partition 8 andincluding the opening for said door... Said partition 8 forms the bottomclosure of the waterpcompartment 9 in said shell, which has the topclosure 10. r The flue pipe 12. for the escape of products of combustionfrom said burner 3 extends through said water compartment 9, parallelwith the axis of said casing, but in eccentric relation thereto as shownin Figs. [I and III, and is conveniently rigidly connected with saidclosures 8 and 10, by welded joints. Said partition 8 has the axialdownwardly extending tubular flange, in unitary relation therewith, withthe externally screw threaded opening 1 1, conveniently of the standardtwo inch pipe size. The water spreader 15, which is interposed betweensaid burner 3 and said partition 8, has the axial upwardly extendingtubular flange 16 in unitary relation therewith provided with anexternal screw thread fitted to said opening 14, V

and the external annular shoulder, adapted to rigidly bear against thelower end of said axial flange on said partition 8 to rigidly seal thejoint between said partition and said spreader, and thus prevent theformation of leaks as aforesaid by the stresses of transportation ofsuch heaters; which, during transportation, are laid in horizontalposition in a freight car. The pipe 17 which is rigidly connected withthe top closure 10 of said water compartment- 9 extends nearly to thebottom closure 8 of said compartment so as to supply the latter withcold water 18, from a municipalor other source.

Of course, any water heated in the structure above described iscorrespondingly expanded and tends to rise to the top of saidcompartment 9. The relatively cold water 18 in said compartment 9gravitatesinto said spreader 15 through the complete annular tubularaxial opening within said flange-16 uniformly and symmetricallythroughout the entire circumference of said flange, and isdeflected'radially outward by the diaphragm 19 in symmetrical relationwith the entire circumference of said spreader so that it reaches thebottom convex wall 20 of said spreader at its outer circumference andgravitates thence downwardly uniformly toward the center ofsaid'spreader and symmetrically with reference to the entirecircumference thereof.

' The construction and arrangement of said spreader 15 shown inFig. IIIare such that the cold water thus flowing into the spreader attheperimeter thereof, is heated so as to rise through the axial hot waterpipe 21, which is in screw threaded engagement with thecentral portion.of said diaphragm 19,1

and said pipe 21 extends axially with respect to said casing shell 1 tonear the-top of said Water compartment 9, so that hot water risingthrough said pipe 21 may be almost directly drawn off through the pipe23 which leads to the dispensing faucets.

It is to be particularly noted struction and arrangement above describedinsure a uniform and symmetrical flow of water to and from the spreaderand withref erence to the entire circumference thereof; so that amaximum heating efficiency is attained,

, as distinguished from devices of the prior art wherein the water isdirected through the spreader in unsymmetrical relation to the lat ter,with the result that the water flow is upon one side only of the axis ofthe spreader, with consequent loss of efficiency of heating action ofthe latter.

vAs before mentioned; the small stream of hot water which is thus causedto rise that the'conthrough said hot water pipe 21, but surrounded bythe colder water in the compartment 9', would be deprived of most of itsheat before it reached the top of said compartment 9, unless theconduction of heat therefrom be limited by some insulating medium. Ofcourse, such heat would not be wasted, because it would be absorbed bythe water in the compartment 9, but the ultimate consumer requires asupply of at least a small quantity of substantially hot waterimmediately upon starting the operation of said burner 3.

Therefore, I find it convenient to surround said axial hot water pipe21' with a heat insulating jacket 25. For instance, said pipe 21 isofnominal half inch size and said jacket is conveniently formed of apiece of nominal one inch pipe, which is welded to said pipe 21 at eachof its opposite ends so as'to form a hermetically sealed insulatingchamber 26- which may have nothing in it but air, in the form shown inFig. III, or may be packed with any suitable heat insulating material 27as indicated inFig. V. For instance, such material 27 may be flocculentasbestos, granulated cork, or wool or magnesium carbonate. However, thecheapest insulating element is, of course, air. The only objectiontothat is that it is apt to circulate within the insulating chamber 26,by reason of convection currents incident to different temperatures indifferent parts of the bodyof air, whereas,

' As above contemplated; the effect of such insulation" of the centralhot water pipe 21 is to retain the heat in the small body of waterflowing upwardly 'therethrough, so that it is delivered'immediatelyadjacent to the dispensing pipe 23. 1

Of course, the expansion of the water 18 within said spreader 15 causesprecipitation of any solid. matter which is normally suspended andcarried in the water and to prevent lodgment thereof upon said partition8; I incline the latter downwardly from its circumference to its'center;whereby all sediment in said compartment 9 is directed downward-1y toand through the annular passageway leading from said compartment to thehollow of said spreader 15. Moreover, to enable the operator toeliminate any sediment deposited in the spreader which would detractfrom its efliciency of heating operation I provide the bottom of thespreader with the drain pipe 28' which is conveniently provided with thestop cook 29 exterior to said casing 1 so that, by opening said stopcock, any sediment in the spreader may be rinsed out with the water thusdrawn directly downward therethrough.

; It-may be observed that the construction and arrangement of myinvention shown, and above described, are advantageous in that saidpipes 21 and'25 are carried by said spreader 15 independently ofsaidpartition 8-of the casing 1; so that they may not only be assembled andmountedin said spreader I 15 before the latter is connected with saidcasingl, but may be'readily. removed from said casing, together withsaid spreader, for inspection and repairs.

In the form of my invention indicated in Fig. I; the burner 3 issupplied with gas through the pipe 30, under control of the stop cock31. Under ordinary conditions, the auxiliary burner 33 furnishes ampleheat for said water spreader 15; getting its supplyof gas through thebypass 35. However, when -cold water is caused to enter said compartment9, by drawing off hot water through said pipe 23, the thermostatic valve36 opens automatically, and gas is delivered through said pipe 30 to theburner 3 and ignited by said auxiliary burner 33. When the water isrestored to the temperature for which said automatic valve 36 is set,for instance, one hundred and thirty degrees Fahrenheit, said valve 36automatically closes, extinguishing said main burner 3, and remainsclosed until the next influx of cold water is caused by withdrawing hotwater through said pipe 23.

, 1 Such automatic control of the supply of fuel to the burner 3 isconveniently effected by the thermostatic element 38 of said valve 36which extends transversely to the axis of said temperature.

with said axis and larger than said insulating jacket 25 so that saidthermostatic element does not come in contact with said jacket. I

Tests of a large number of heaters in accordance with my Letters Patentaforesaid manifested that the efficiency, i. e., the quantity of waterheated in a given interval of time by a given consumption of gas, variedin accordance with the rapidity of the circulation of the water to andfrom the spreader and the water compartment above it. The presentinvention is the outgrowth of that experience, and such circulation inthe form of my invention above described is very much more rapid than inthe form shown in said Letters Patent, and with a much greaterefiiciency. Such increase in efliciency is due to the coordination ofthree features of my invention above described, to wit, first, theimproved construction and arrangement of the spreader itself, includingthe annular passageway for the downward flow of relatively cold waterwithin the spreader neck flange 16 with the branch passageways leadingradially outward over the diaphragm 19 which facilitate the uniform flowof the water downward and upward in the spreader. Second, theinterposition between the clownwardly flowing stream of relatively coldwater and the upwardly flowing stream of heated water in the pipe 21; ofheat insulating means, in said annular passageway and above the latter,which permit the maximum relative downward and upward move- 1 borne inmind that the speed of such relative movement is dependent upon themaintenance of the maximum possible dilference in Third, the extensionof the flue 12 through the main water compartment 9 independently of thehot water pipe 21, not only permits the more direct delivery of thewater from such pipe and permits the use of a flue pipe of smallerdiameter and thus affords a larger water capacity in a given size ofwater compartment 9 but the location of said flue in eccentric relationto the body of water in said compartment 9 facilitates the circulationof the water in said compartment to and from said annular passageway inthe spreader neck 16; because the water immediately surrounding'the flue12 in the compartment 9 is heated anditsupwardmovement consequentlyfacilitated, wholly upon one side of said compartment, which, of course,facilitates the downward movement of the relatively cooler water uponthe opposite side of said compartment9. That is to say; the circulationof water in the compartment 9 is predetermined and facilitated in acertain path by such coordination of the three features aforesaid, viz,theflow is upward upon the left hand side-of said compartment anddownward upon the right hand side of said compartment, as seen in Fig.III, and at a much more rapid rate than if, as in my patented heateraforesaid, the downward flow was distributed entirely around thecircumference of the outer shell.

However, it is tobe understood that my improvements, embodied in thecontainer shown in the drawings, may be included in gas water heaters ofother types than that shown in Fig. I, or in containers differing fromthat shown, and that other forms of hollow fittings may be substitutedfor the specific form of spreader I have chosen for illustration.Therefore, I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details ofconstruction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from theessential features of my invention, as'defined in the appended claims.

I claim: I r t 1. In a gas water heater, the combination with means forforming a main water compartment having a bottom wall provided with anaxial downwardly extending tubular flange, in unitary relationtherewith, and having an axial internally screw threaded opening in thebottom thereof; of a Water spreader comprising a hollow unitary castmetal body having an axial upwardly extending-tubular flange in unitaryrelation therewith, externally screw threaded and directly fitted tosaid screw threaded opening in said bottom wall; said water spreaderhaving an annular shoulder exterior to its tubular flange, fitted torigidly bear against the lower end of the tubular flange onsa id bottomwall, to rigidly seal the joint between said partition and spreader;said water spreader having a diaphragm extending therein transversely tothe axis of said flange, and intermediate of the .height of saidspreader; and a hot water outlet pipe extending through and rigidlyconnected with said diaphragm and extending upwardly thru said tubularflange in spaced relation to the wall thereof into said compartment;where- V by'relatively cold water is directed downwardly through saidtubular flanges in a uniform completely annular stream and distributeduniformly to the entire circumfer enceof the spreader, in whichit isheated and from which it is discharged axially through said outletpipe,-and the latter maintained in rigid relation with said bottom wall;heat insulating means surrounding said outlet pipe and extending in bothsaid water compartment and spreader, whereby to insulate said annularstream of downwardly flowing, relatively cold water, entering saidspreader, and the axial stream of upwardly flowing heated water; wherebythe heat and consequent speed of upward movement, of the waterdischarged from said spreader are maintained at the maximum. I

V 2. In a gas water heater, the combination with means for forming amain water compartment having a bottom fwalil provided with an axialopening; of a water spreader rected downwardly from said Watercompartment into the hollow of said spreader in a uniform completelyannular stream, distrib; uted to the circumference of the spreader, inwhich it is heated, and discharged axially upward through said outletpipe in a stream in coaxial relation with the downwardly flowing coldwater entering said spreader; and heat insulating means, surroundingsaid outlet pipe and extending in both said Water compartment andspreader, whereby to insulate said annular stream of downwardly flowing,relatively cold water, entering said spreader and the passageway for theaxial stream'of upwardly flowing heated water; whereby the heat andconsequent speed of upward movement of the water discharged from saidspreader are maintained at the maximum.. n

In testimony whereof, I .h signed my name at Conshohocken, Pennsyl-Vania, this eighth day of December, 1922.

V VICTOR MAUGK.

ave hereunto CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,747,982. Granted February 18, 1930, to

VICTOR MAUCK.

It is hereby certified above numbered patent req 1, for the word"partitio Patent should be read the record of the case Signed andpecification of the Page 4, line 42, claim and that the said Letters einthat the same may conform to M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner ofPatents.

